A Collision of the Future and the Past
by Darkpenn
Summary: Revelations for Team RWBY, and a fateful decision.


**A Collision of the Future and the Past**

 _Revelations for Team RWBY, and a fateful decision._

 _[Author's note: this story follows on from the story_ Villains' Day Out, _and also_ Yang and the Handy Advice _and_ After the White Light _. It was written without knowledge of what might happen in Volume 5.]_

Glynda Goodwitch was sitting by the bed of General James Ironwood when Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang rushed in. It was in the main hospital of Mistral.

"We got your message," said Ruby. "Is he alright?" Glynda was clasping General Ironwood's hand, and there was a stream of mystic energy gently passing from her to him.

"He will be, according to the techs," Glynda said. "But ... I'm making sure. His cybernetic implants were damaged, there was some sort of overload. He's come awake a few times. Long enough to tell me that it was done by Roman Torchwick and Neo. They stole the Knowledge relic from the Mantle Academy vault. Weiss, your sister Winter ... I'm sorry ... she was killed in the fight."

Weiss gave a cry, and staggered back a few steps. Then her face hardened, and she said: "She was a soldier. She knew ... what could happen. She knew, and we all know."

"I saw Roman die," said Ruby. "At Beacon."

"I can only think that Salem brought him back somehow," said Glynda. "So she now has two of the relics."

"How did the General get here?" said Weiss.

"Apparently, Raven Branwen simply stepped through one of her portals with him. Handed him to the medtechs and disappeared. Well, she does that sort of thing. There's not always reason or sense to her actions. Yang, I'm sorry to say this, but your mother did not handle the assumption of the power of the Spring Maiden well."

Yang started. "Er, what?" she said. "My mother ... is a Maiden?"

Glynda sighed. "Yes, I suppose it is time you knew," she said. "When she assumed the power, she became ... unbalanced. She had never sought it, after all. And you had been born just weeks before, so she felt a terrible conflict of responsibilities. It was that which led to the break-up of Team STRQ. Since then, she has been fighting her own battle against the forces of darkness, by her own rules."

General Ironwood stirred, and came awake. Glynda smiled, and kissed him tenderly.

"Wait, what?" said Blake.

"They're married," said Yang. "Have been for years. Surprise!"

"Gosh," said Blake.

"Whoa," said Ruby.

"Hmm," said Weiss. "Ah, the dance."

Juane and Sun came running in. "We got here as soon as ... hey, why is Glynda kissing Ironwood?" said Sun.

"I'll explain it later," said Yang. "Or when you're older."

"Have you seen the news?" said Juane. He turned on the television set in the room. A reporter appeared, standing outside Haven Academy. Part of the Academy was damaged, billowing smoke.

The reporter said: " – the attack, apparently led by a person known as Doctor Arthur Watts, appears to have been aimed at the theft of a precious relic from the underground vault of the Academy. Witnesses reported that Doctor Watts and his associates were opposed by a man wielding a long sword that turned into a scythe."

"Qrow," muttered General Ironwood.

"The witnesses said that the unknown man, believed to be a Huntsman, fought bravely but was eventually overpowered by the force of numbers," the reporter continued. "He has now disappeared, with one witness claiming to have seen him taken away by the robbers, unconscious, with the relic."

"That idiot," said General Ironwood. "Taking on a whole pack. He should have known he couldn't win. That stupid, drunken ... _brave_ ... idiot."

"So now Salem has three of the relics," said Juane.

"But three are not much use without the fourth," said Weiss. The others looked at her. "Hey, some of us did the extra credit reading, you know."

"The one she is missing is the one kept in Beacon," said Blake. "Is it still there?"

Glynda and her husband looked at each other. He nodded to her.

"It's not at Beacon any longer," she said to the others. "It's ... here."

"You mean, here in Mistral?"

"No," said General Ironwood. "Here, in this room."

He pointed. At Ruby.

"M – me?" she said.

"Yes," said Glynda. "Your heart is the fourth relic. It is what gives you incredible power, like the power you showed on the Beacon tower. It is the source of your great speed and skill. And your great love, as well."

"M – me?" said Ruby again.

"I'm sorry, truly sorry," said Glynda. "Your mother, Summer ... she believed that it would keep both you and the relic safe. She told me, shortly before you were born, that she had created a spell that would merge you and the relic. But I didn't know if she had done it ... until that night I met you. And I saw your silver eyes. Even then, I didn't want to believe it. But after the battle of Beacon ... I knew."

"Qrow told us a story about a being with silver eyes who could vanquish evil," said Juane.

"So ... Ruby could kill Salem?" said Yang.

"Possibly," said Glynda. "But these old stories and myths ... some of them can be believed, and some ... are just fairly tales."

"Do you believe it?" said Blake to her.

Glynda looked away. "It doesn't matter what I believe," she said. "All that matters now is that Ruby is kept safe. That is now the responsibility of you, her friends. Take her ... somewhere. Somewhere safe."

"Does Salem know that Ruby is ... what she is?" said Juane.

"She has the relic of Knowledge, and she has Qrow," said Ironwood. "She will be able to look into his mind, and he won't be able to stop her. Soon, she will know."

Everyone fell silent, turning over their thoughts.

"So ... you two are really married, eh?" said Blake. "Wow."

"What, Glynda and Ironwood are married?" said Juane.

"Not really the issue of the moment," said Yang.

"We should go," said Weiss. "Right now. We might have a head start, and we should use it."

The other nodded, and in a few moments Team RWBY, plus Juane and Sun, were standing in the ground-level foyer of the hospital.

"They have Qrow," said Ruby.

"We owe him," said Juane.

"And if we run, eventually she will find us, wherever we go," said Blake.

"Weiss, what you said, that we had a head start and should go, did you mean it?" said Yang.

"Of course not," said Weiss. "But Glynda and the General don't know that."

"So we are agreed?" said Blake. "Come what come may."

"Wait a minute," said Ruby. "This is not your fight, guys. It's mine."

Yang, Blake and Weiss looked at her.

"Like I said when we first met, you are an idiot," said Weiss.

"Unusually, I agree with Weiss," said Blake.

"Get real, sis," said Yang.

Ruby smiled.

"But where is Salem likely to be?" said Juane.

"Hmm," said Yang. "Weiss, where do you think she would go?"

"Why ask me?" said Weiss.

"Because you think like a villain," said Juane. "Sort of."

Weiss scowled. But she considered the question. Then she said: "Beacon."

"Why Beacon?" said Sun.

"Because that's where the dragon is. I was there, I saw it frozen. She'll want to free it. To her, it's a pet. And, well, Beacon is where all this started. It's where it has to end. One way or another."

"You know, that actually makes sense," said Juane. "And I have an idea about how we can get there." He led the way to the elevator. They all went in, and Juane pushed the button for the roof.

"What's on the roof?" said Ruby.

"Ah, I see," said Weiss. "Hospitals always have landing pads for airships on the roof."

Juane nodded, although he was sending a message on his scroll.

They got out on the roof, and as expected there were several airships there. The nearest one was warming up, ready to leave. They climbed on board.

"Hey!" said the pilot. "Who are you!?"

Blake drew her sword. "Get out," she said to the pilot and co-pilot.

Unsurprisingly, they did. Blake climbed into the pilot seat. She began to throw switches and push buttons.

"You know how to drive one of these things?" said Sun.

"Benefits of a mis-spent youth, with White Fang," she said.

"Uh, just a second," said Juane. "Ah, here they are."

Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren suddenly appeared on the roof, riding Nora's hammer. They skidded to a halt near the airship and jumped off.

"Please don't make me do that again," said Ren.

"But it's so much fun!" said Nora, as they approached the airship. "Now, what's happening, guys?"

"We are stealing an airship to go and fight an army of Grimm monsters and the most powerful evil being in the world, to save Qrow and stop the destruction of, well, everything," said Yang. "Oh, by the way, Ruby's a relic. Come with?"

Nora and Ren considered. "Yeah, sure," said Nora, and Ren nodded.

And then they were off.

END


End file.
